A council is launching a bid to make the use of a home for a holiday let subject to a mandatory planning application.

Gwynedd council in Wales is the first ever to try this tactic: it is seeking to win Welsh Government consent for it to introduce a so-called Article 4 direction, which means a planning application has to be submitted and agreed to, before a home can be short let or listed for holiday letting.

The Welsh Government last year announced a series of measures to reduce the number of second homes and short-lets: amongst them, planning legislation was amended to allow local planning authorities like Gwynedd to use an Article 4 Direction to control the use of houses as second homes and holiday accommodation.

Councillor Dafydd Meurig says: “[Gwynedd council has] … tirelessly called on the Welsh Government for years to tackle the increase in holiday homes across the county, and the effect that is having on our communities.

“…Our residents are being priced out of the housing market … Indeed, recent research has shown that on average 65.5 per cent of Gwynedd’s population is priced out of the housing market, with the percentage increasing significantly in areas where there are higher numbers of holiday homes.

“There was recognition of the real challenge facing our communities last year as the Welsh Government announced a series of measures in the field of planning, taxation and licensing to try to get better control of the situation. Since then, the Government has amended the planning regulations, introducing three new planning use classes, namely main home, second home and short-term holiday accommodation.”

He continues: “Gwynedd would be the first authority in Wales to introduce the change, and placing an Article 4 Direction to control the use of houses as second homes or short-term holiday accommodation will be unprecedented. We are therefore pleased that the Welsh Government has committed to providing financial support that will enable us to appoint additional planning officers to deal with the extra workload.”

There is likely to be a period of public consultation before the change is implemented.